Formby’s red squirrels

The star atraction of the National Trust Formby pinewoods are the easily spotted red squirrels, the southernmost mainland population in Britain, which have clung on here because grey squirrels can’t survive in pinewoods as they are unable to open pine cones. Despite this, a 2007-08 outbreak of squirrel pox transmitted by greys wiped out some 80 percent of their numbers, leaving as few as 20 reds although the population has quickly bounced back ( 250 by 2014 – video) and the survivors appear to have developed some resistance to the deadly disease.